The Aprilia SR line of scooters, especially the larger 150s and 160s, has been synonymous with sporty Italian design, fun demeanour and strong performance. What they have also been known for is their rather single-minded approach to performance and being priced on the higher side, more so in the BS6 era than ever. Enter the SR 175, Aprilia’s latest sporty scooter that aims to rectify some of these issues.
The Aprilia SR 175’s sharp and angular bodywork is almost identical to the SR 160, and this design is now the better part of a decade old, but it still manages to turn heads and stand out in the sea of humdrum commuters on our roads. The SR 175 gets two new colours – white/red and purple/red – both of which are inspired by the RS 457 sportbike.
While the design remains unchanged, what has seen a step up from before is the feature set. And all of that is primarily down to the crisp new 5-inch TFT display – also borrowed from the RS 457 – and brand-new switchgear to control all the functions. This colour TFT replaces the rather basic and dull-looking monotone LCD on the SR 160 and brings in things such as turn-by-turn navigation, call/message alerts, as well as music playback control once you connect your smartphone to the display via Aprilia’s proprietary app. The inclusion of this colour TFT dash now makes the Aprilia one of a handful of ICE scooters – besides TVS’ Jupiter 125 and Ntorq and Honda’s Activa and Dio models – to have this feature.
The 5-in colour TFT is borrowed from the RS 457 but has a new layout.
The new dash is bright and can automatically switch between day and night modes, depending on ambient light. There are also two display modes, with all the above functions only available to use in the ‘Digital’ mode. I personally prefer the clean and uncluttered look of the ‘Analogic’ mode, which has a faux round speedometer and a needle. The overall UI/UX is fairly straightforward for nearly all functions, and no secret handshakes are needed here.
However, convenience-enhancing features, such as a multi-function ignition key slot, a cubby on the front apron, a brake-lock clasp, an external fuel filler and start/stop tech or even a quiet start, are missing. Boot space has never been an Aprilia SR’s forte, and the 175 is no different – you’ll struggle to get even an Indian half-face helmet in there.
Underseat storage not as spacious as that of a conventional scooter.
Then, there are other issues specific to our test scooter. The side stand cut-off doesn’t seem to work, and a whine comes from the front wheel once you get rolling, which we feel appears to be down to a moving mechanical part that hasn’t been greased well. On what is a Rs 1.50 lakh scooter (on-road, Mumbai), these things will leave a customer wanting and reduce its feel-good factor.
But once you swing a leg over and start riding, the SR 175 will have you grinning ear to ear. It’s eager from the word go and is great fun accelerating away from stop lights and leaving traffic behind! Aprilia has enlarged the SR 160’s engine to create this new 174.7cc mill, which makes 12.9hp at 7,200rpm and 14.14Nm of torque at 6,000rpm – a discernible step up from the previous 11.27hp at 7,100rpm and 13.44Nm at 5,300rpm.
The power delivery, while strong, is smooth as well as predictable, and younger riders will benefit from that. There’s no sudden surge of power, and it has a measured yet strong pull all the way to a speedo-indicated 90kph.
The SR 175’s riding experience in a nutshell: fun!
In our tests, the SR 175 was quite close to the Yamaha Aerox 155 in the sprint to 60kph, after which the more powerful Japanese scooter starts increasing the gap. This is commendable performance from the Aprilia’s simpler 3-valve, air-cooled engine, and what also pleasantly surprised us was its fuel efficiency. It returned an impressive 41.7kpl out on the highway and a decent 35.2kpl inside the city. For the sort of engine this is and the performance on tap, these numbers are commendable.
The Aprilia SR’s engine has always been a gruff thing, and while that character continues onto the 175, its refinement isn’t a dealbreaker. There is some juddering below 20kph, especially so with small or constant throttle inputs, but once you open the taps, this engine becomes reasonably smooth with just a mild tingle in the floorboard. Our scooter had less than 500km on the odo, so perhaps this could improve after performing the first service.
Focused and sporty scooters like this can’t match the outright comfort and spacious nature of mainstream practical offerings. The Aprilia SR 175 follows that theme to some extent, but it isn’t as single-minded as its predecessors. Its sloped rider’s seat, which forces you to adjust your seating position every so often, continues into 2025, and it isn’t the most spacious or well-padded unit around. But its suspension comfort has proven to be an area of surprise.
The first day of riding the SR 175 entailed going from Andheri in Mumbai’s western suburbs to Panvel East. Traversing the breadth of the monsoon-ravaged city, I’m happy to say that the SR’s suspension kept me reasonably comfortable as I encountered an unceasing barrage of road imperfections. Of course, it’s still a sporty scooter with taut suspension, but it’s not as downright uncomfortable as the Aerox.
The SR 175 is quite a tall thing by scooter standards, and while I, at 5’11”, didn’t have any issues with flat-footing it, I foresee that to be a challenge for anyone under 5’7”. Riders with bigger feet will also wish for a little more room on the floorboard, as I felt my feet had little wiggle room and felt quite locked in place. I wear size 12 shoes, so I’m on the larger end of the spectrum, and this is a subjective thing.
Sporty handling and surefooted manners at high speeds have always been the Aprilia SR line-up’s forte, and the 175 happily continues that trend. The large 14-inch wheels shod with chunky 120-section rubber inspire loads of confidence when chucking the SR 175 into a bend, and the scooter stays planted no matter the size of the bump on the road.
These Vee Rubber tyres are rather average, however, and Aprilia also offers MRF and CEAT as tyre suppliers, both of which fare better in terms of grip and feedback, although what your scooter comes equipped with is entirely a game of luck.
Stopping performance, too, is superb, and it feels like this scooter wants you to brake like you’re on a motorcycle. The front brake has a strong yet progressive bite and shoulders the majority of the load, with the rear drum brake mainly there to keep you steady. Just like the SR 160, the SR 175 comes with a single-channel ABS as standard, and while this safety feature works well for the most part, it feels like it intervenes a little too early when you clamp down hard on the binders and robs you of power.
By now, we’ve established that the SR 175 is a perceivable step up over its predecessor. Happily, you get this improved experience without having to pay extra, and in Mumbai, the SR 175’s ex-showroom price is Rs 1.26 lakh, which is more or less on par with the top SR 160’s asking price. Considering that there’s really no petrol scooter in this space (the Yamaha Aerox now costs over Rs 1.50 lakh), the Aprilia SR 175 makes a rather compelling case for itself.
Its performance and sporting ability are attributes few other scooters can match. Its striking good looks and fancy TFT display add to its allure, and it isn’t entirely impractical. Areas of improvement are more to do with the company rather than the product itself – a small Aprilia dealer network limits availability, and service will generally be more expensive and quite likely not as frictionless as for scooters from other brands.
